


Lucky

by cocoalover1956



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - Celebrity, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Child Abuse, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-05
Updated: 2015-05-17
Packaged: 2018-03-21 10:30:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,288
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3688872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cocoalover1956/pseuds/cocoalover1956
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Robb Stark, the hottest actor in Westeros, was in this movie? Jeyne blushed when she remembered that Florian was the new movie Robb Stark had been cast as the lead it two months ago. And she called herself his biggest fan. Gods, a chance to be on screen with Robb Stark, even if she would just be one of a hundred faces in the crowd scenes? Maybe this day was looking up.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. I

Jeyne dropped the plate in the sink as the lukewarm beer splattered against the back of her head. "Mother!" She spun around.

"I didn't raise you to talk to me in that tone, young lady!" Sybell sneered, shaking the empty glass in her hand. "Did I leave you at the hospital when you were born? Did I give you up for adoption? I could have, but I didn't. Instead I put up with your ungrateful ass for eighteen years. And now you're pulling this on me? You're not going anywhere with those good-for-nothing friends of yours."

"It'll only be a few days. Maybe it'll be good for her." Gawen suggested in the mildest tone humanly possible. Rarely did he ever contradict his wife, and it made his daughter's heart leap a little that he'd done so for her.

"Good for her?" Sybell yelled, "She's not going to any fancy colleges without money, and the last time I checked, we don't have any. Whose fault is that Gawen? Not mine, that's for sure."

"Mother, its just a college tour." Jeyne Westerling. "I know I'm not going to college, but Lessa needs my support."

"And who's gonna support us?" Sybell demanded. "You're gonna take days of work because your empty-headed friends don't know what school to waste all their parents' money on? And what about Eleyna and Rollam? Who's gonna take them to school? Who's gonna clean the house? Who's gonna cook dinner while your father and I are at work trying to feed you kids? I don't know who taught you to be so selfish."

Tears threatened to roll down Jeyne's cheeks. She admitted softly, "I thought you guys would be okay without me for a few-"

"Are you gonna cry?" Her mother cackled like a witch, "Oh Jeyne, so tough and confident when things are going your way; crying like a little bitch when we all don't play along. Get out of my house!"

Jeyne ripped her stained apron from her shoulders and grabbed the car keys. But before she could get out the front door, her mother grabbed her by the arm and slapped her.

"You better have gas money. You don't even have your wallet, stupid girl." Sybell yelled. She pried the keys from Jeyne's fingers before letting go.

Jeyne ducked her head, and went over to the bedroom she shared with her little sister. Eleyna had her face buried an old textbook, even though school had ended a week ago. She must have heard what happened in the kitchen. Jeyne's new high school diploma was on the night stand collecting dust. She rummaged through the grey backpack she took to work for her wallet, counted her change, and put the wallet in her purse. Jeyne also picked up her phone, just in case. She gave Eleyna a kiss on the forehead for going out.

"Where are you going?" Sybell asked from the couch, now watch one the old-fashioned crime shows she loved so much.

"Out. Bye Mother, bye Daddy." Jeyne shrugged and sprinted out before her mother could say something else.

It was just pass noon on her day off, so she took a subway to the Rock. The Crag was one of the lower-income neighborhoods in Lannisport; built on the outskirts of the city, on a cliff overlooking the Sunset Sea. Not far off, a few celebrities and moguls had beach-side mansions lining the shores. Downtown, known to locals as Casterly Rock or the Rock, is where all the interesting stuff happened. By comparison, despite only being a few miles apart, the Crag was as dull as tapioca pudding.

Jeyne climbed out of the subway station with no destination in mind. People moved past her as though she weren't even there; not that she really minded. There were men in business suits; women in thousand-dollar boots; men in worn out jeans and mud-splattered sneakers; woman in faded, out-of-style sundresses. Strolling through the crowded streets, Jeyne let the noise of the city drown out her own problem. She gave a homeless woman ten stags, her spare tampon and a card for the shelter Lessa's uncle ran.

As she walked, Jeyne noticed a line outside what looked like a community center. A large sign read "AUDITIONS HERE" in bold red letters next to a poster with smaller writing. Closer up, Jeyne saw that it read "Florian" is fancy, medieval style font.

"The line starts back there sweetie." An annoyed woman said to Jeyne, rolling her eyes.

Sure, why not? Jeyne shrugged and went to the back of the line, which wrapped around the corner of the block. Anything to keep her from having to get back home. She picked up a script and read through it several times. For the next hour or so, Jeyne listened to snippets of other people's conversation.

"Yeah Taena Merryweather's hot, but she's way too old to play the lead."

"I heard Cersei Lannister was going to be in it. Her brother's the director, right?"

"I think the promotional pictures are coming out in a week or so."

"Wouldn't it be amazing if we got to be in a scene with Robb Stark? I'd be telling that story to my grandkids for years."

Robb Stark, the hottest actor in Westeros, was in this movie? Jeyne blushed when she remembered that  _Florian_  was the new movie Robb Stark had been cast as the lead it two months ago. And she called herself his biggest fan. Gods, a chance to be on screen with Robb Stark, even if she would just be one of a hundred faces in the crowd scenes? Maybe this day was looking up.

At around two-thirty, as the line slowly inched forward, a tall, slender woman with ink-black skin addressed the many hopeful. Through a bullhorn, she announced "All positions for male roles, and all positions for female roles over the age of thirty-five are filled. If you fit into one of those two categories, Seven Kingdoms Studio thanks you for enthusiasm." A roar of grumbling overtook the street as the crowd dissolved. In two minutes Jeyne was far further ahead than she had been in two hours.

After another twenty minute wait, the same woman ushered her into a waiting room with nine other young women. They each received paperwork to fill out: name, contact information, medical stuff, and more. Five girls went into an adjacent room for their auditions before it was Jeyne's turn.

"Good afternoon," the dark, beautiful woman shook Jeyne's hand as she entered the room. It was small, rectangular and all the walls were painted a bland beige. There was a set up with a two chairs and a camera. A man sitting on one of the chairs waved at them. "My name is Alayaya Xoloja. I'm the assistant casting director. And this is Lommy Greenhands. He'll be playing opposite you."

"Jeyne Westerling. I, uh, don't really have much experience, besides school plays and stuff." She admitted shyly.

Alayaya smiled kindly, "That's not a problem. Just give it your best shot. Please, take a seat."

After shaking hands with Lommy, Jeyne got ready to get into character. From their seats, she played a naive peasant girl, while Lommy played an flirtatious drunk trying to get her into bed.

The scene went for almost twenty minutes, longer, Jeyne noticed, than the other girls' auditions. Or was that just her imagination? Alayaya had them do the scene again, only this time they abandoned the script and the peasant girl and the drunk switched roles. It was pretty neat to try, though Jeyne knew for certain now that there was something different about this audition.

"Wow, you were amazing." Lommy complimented her when they were finished.

Jeyne blushed, "Thanks." She briefly considered returning the compliment, but then decided that he must have been doing this all day. Before she left, Alayaya handed her a business card and tell her she'd be in touch.

After a few minutes of the wandering around the Rock, Jeyne stopped at a cheap fast food place for a burger and soda, though she didn't have enough to get french fries unless she planned to walk home. Jeyne used the last of her money to catch the subway back home. As the sunset lit the sea a bright orange-red, Jeyne wondered how much money she would get payed as an extra. She'd had to look up more information about  _Florian_ , but the only computer in her house was her parents' work computer, and the last thing she wanted was to annoy her mother again. Actually, she didn't want her mother knowing anything about her audition.

"Hey." Jeyne muttered into the house as she walked in.

Sybell glared at her from over her shoulder, "We don't have leftovers."

"I already ate." Jeyne answered jogging into her room. Eleyna and Rollam sat on the bottom bunk playing cards, so she sat on the floor next to them. "Hey guys. Have fun at Emery's house, Rolly?"

"Yeah. He let my play with his Playstation." Rollam replied with slight longing in his voice.

"Okay, can I tell you guys a secret? From Mother?" Jeyne whispered. When her younger siblings nodded seriously, she continued, "I auditioned for a movie today."

Eleyna's eyes went wide, "Really? You're gonna star in a movie?"

"Well, not a star. I've going to be extra."

"Extra what?" Rollam asked.

"Okay, you know how there are characters in shows and movies that don't really say much? People in the background. That's what I'm going to be."

"Oh," Rollam nodded.

"So you not going to be a star?" Eleyna frowned.

Jeyne shrugged, "I'll still be in a movie, won't I?"

The next morning, as she made breakfast, Jeyne called Lessa to let her know that she wouldn't be able to go on the college tour with her. After eating, Jeyne went to work at her uncle's restaurant, Spice Town. Rolph Spicer, her mother's younger brother, owned and operated the place, which primarily served Volantene food, most of which included beets. Jeyne's great-grandmother, Maggy Spicer, had immigrated from Volantis when she was young, but she never forgot her roots. Jeyne remembered her mother cooking traditional Volantene beet and pork stew on special occasion. While Sybell didn't cook much anymore, Jeyne was around traditional meals all day.

The lunch rush keep her frazzled and on her feet for a good hour. By the end of her shift, Jeyne was almost certain she never wanted to see another beet for as long as she lived. But then she'd have to do it again tomorrow. Just as she had for the last four years.

"Good work today kid." Rolph grunted to her from the cash register.

Jeyne smiled tiredly as her phone rang. It was from an unknown number. "Hello? Jeyne Westerling."

"Hello, sorry if I caught you at a bad time." A slightly familiar voice. "Its Alayaya, from the audition."

"Don't worry, its an okay time." Jeyne glanced to her uncle, who just shrugged and went back to counting up his profit for the day.

"Well, I showed your tape to my mother, I mean, the casting directer. She wants you to audition for a larger role. That depends of how the call back goes."

Jeyne's eyes widened at the words "call back". "Uh, just give me a minute." She mouthed a goodbye to her uncle and walked out the door. He was close to his mother, and Jeyne didn't want to risk him telling her anything. Outside, Jeyne continued, "Sorry about that. So, a call back? For me?"

"Of course. You work like you've been in the business for years. Why do think I had in there longer than the other girls?" Alayaya continued with a laugh. "We'll send over a new script for you to learn. Could you be ready in a week?"

Pondering on her schedule for a minute, Jeyne answered, "A week sounds great. But when and where will this audition be?"

"We'll find you an appointment and at a different address. It'll all be in the e-mail. So, everything's set?"

"Yes! Everything perfect. Thank you so much for this chance."

"Trust me, you've earned it. I'll so you in week."

"Okay, bye."

When Alayaya hung up, Jeyne let out a little sequel of happiness. Immediately, she called Lessa.

"Hey Jeyne. You home yet?"

"No, not yet." Jeyne looked around, then started walking home. "Okay, you won't believe what just happened. Yesterday I went to an audition and the  casting directer wants give me a call back."

"You went to an audition?" Lessa asked incredulously.

"It wasn't my plan. I had to get away from my mom for a little bit, and I wandered into the audition. Its for  _Florian_ , that new Robb Stark movie."

"So what character are you playing? I didn't even know you were into acting."

"I don't know yet." Jeyne slowed her pace so she wouldn't arrive home too soon. "I planned to be an extra, but they're giving me a bigger role. They're sending me all the call back stuff through e-mail. Is this a good time to come over?"

Lessa exclaimed, "Of course! Oh my god Jeyne this could open so many doors for you. You can tell your mom you're helping me pack for the tour, since you're not going anymore."

"Thanks Les; you're a life-saver." Jeyne smiled. "I'll be there in a little bit."

It look a little while to remember where the auditions would take place, but Jeyne led Lessa there without much issue. Instead of a public space, the call back took place in a fancy office building in the hear to the Rock, the kind of place Jeyne had only ever seen from afar. She shifted uncomfortable in her nicest pair of black slacks. "I don't know if I can do this."

Lessa squeezed her hand in support. "You'll be great. C'mon we've been over this a thousand times."

With a shaky nod, Jeyne asked, "Come with me?"

"Of course."

Together, the two young women walked into the building and rode the elevator up twenty floors to the casting director's office. Alayaya, who had been shuffling through some paperwork at her desk, grinned when Jeyne and the other girl came in. She immediately dismissed the possibility that they were sisters because they looked nothing alike. Jeyne had the quintessential "girl next door" look: wavy brown hair, dimples and wide caramel-colored eyes. Her companion screamed "femme fetale" with her jet black hair against pale skin, heavy make-up, and high cheekbones.

"Jeyne, so great to have you back?" Alayaya shook both their hands. "Friend of yours?"

"Yeah, this is my friend Lessa Hill. She's here for moral support." After Lessa nodded in acknowledgement, Jeyne continued, "Lessa, this is Alayaya Xoloja, the assistant casting director."

"Alright, if you just step into this room." Alayaya showed them to her mother's office.

Chataya Xoloja had been in the entertainment business for almost thirty years, and if anyone could sniff out talent, it was her. Jeyne Westerling's audition tape was among the best she'd even seen. The girl knew how to work her face, knew to play on expectations, but most of all, she could just deliver. If Jeyne Westerling told you she thought the sky was green, you'd be inclined to look up just to check.

While Jeyne worked with Lommy Greenhands on the new script, Chataya watched from across the one-sided glass with her daughter and Jeyne's friend, Lessa Hill. Jeyne took direct well, Chataya saw, and was easy for the other actor to feel comfortable with. She was a bit nervous and shy, but that could easily be worked on. Her Riverlands accent also needed some work, but it was still passable.

"Ms. Westerling, do you have an agent?" Chataya asked when Jeyne's second audition had ended.

"To be honest Mrs. Xoloja I don't have any experience in professional acting." Jeyne admitted.

"I thought as much." Chataya reached into her desk and pulled out a business card. "Tanda Stokeworth's an old friend of mine. She practically specializes in up-and-coming actors, musicians, dancers, etc. If you need someone to show you the ropes, she's the one to call." Jeyne gratefully accepted the card.

It only took Chataya an hour to make her decision, but she had to get the director on board. She sent both audition tapes to Mr. Lannister that afternoon and by six she had her answer.

When Jeyne got home, she was on cloud nine. She'd completely rocked her call back, and from what Lessa told her the casting directer agreed. After all, why would Mrs. Xoloja give her the business card for an agent if she didn't expect Jeyne to be signing contracts in the near future?

Jeyne waved goodbye to Lessa from the front porch and walked into her home. All the lights were turned off expect the line in the living room. Gawen and the younger children sat together on the couch, silent.

"Hey, I'm home." Jeyne called, worried because the silence felt different tonight. "Daddy, what's going on?"

"Uh, sweetling, your mother's taking a break." Gawen choked out.

Jeyne's forehead wrinkled, "What do you mean?"

"She left us and she's not coming back!" Eleyna screamed, burst into tears and ran into her bedroom.

"Mother's gone?" Jeyne exclaimed. A sob bubbled in her throat. She shouldn't miss her mother, not after the way she had treated them all, but Sybell was still her mother; the only mother she had. "W-when?"

"Rolly, why don't you make sure Eleyna's okay?" Gawen waiting until his son had left before continuing. Jeyne took a seat next to him. "This morning, a little bit after you left, she didn't leave for work. Eleyna called my office from the neighbor's house, saying your mother was packing her stuff. So I came down, but Sybell wouldn't hear a word. One of her friends took her to the airport."

"Gods," Jeyne sobbed, "How could she do that to Eleyna and Rolly? They didn't have to see that."

"Jeyne, you know she was unhappy."

"Of course I know! Because when she was unhappy, everyone was unhappy. But...but now she's gone." Jeyne swallowed down another sob. "I don't know how to feel. I love her, but she just, she always..."

Gawen wrapped his arms around his daughter, "I know sweetheart."


	2. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I don't actually know exactly how the movie industry or film-making work beyond what I found on wikipedia and my own best guesses.

Jeyne liked Tanda Stokeworth the minute she saw her. The manager Mrs. Xoloja sent her to had the air of a kindly grandmother, all crinkled-eyed smiles and old-fashioned dresses. A hundred pictures of family and friends decorated her office, along with a few hand-knitted doilies and a potted plant.

"Sorry for the clutter." Mrs. Stokeworth greeted opening the door, "I usually meet new clients in my King's Landing office."

"Oh, that's alright. Pleased to meet you."

"Have a seat honey." Mrs. Stokeworth gestured to a chair, waited for Jeyne to sit down and then sat behind her desk. "Chataya already told me all about you. You read over the contract from SKS, that's correct?"

"I'm sorry, who?"

"SKS? Seven Kingdom Studios?"

Jeyne blushed. "Right, I'm sorry."

"Don't worry dear. With the way you perform on camera, you'll get used to this pretty soon." Mrs. Stokeworth grinned, "I looked over it a few nights ago, and I believe this is a wonderful first role for you. It's a family film, so they're not gonna have you do anything too risque. All expenses paid, though the shooting schedule is pretty long. Are you alright being on set for a whole year?"

An entire year? Jeyne had never been away from home longer than a few days. But she ought to have know that filming would take her away from home for while. "Yeah, I can handle a year." she replied, sounding more sure of herself than she felt.

Mrs. Stokeworth nodded, "Okay then. But if you ever feel homesick, or need to talk to someone, you can call me."

"Thank you." Jeyne said gratefully.

"Tyrion Lannister also sent the script. Did you have a chance to read through it?"

"Yeah, I think its great. Petunia's a great character. I really feel for her."

"Good. Its always so much harder when you have to play a character you hate." Mrs. Stokeworth responded, "Congratulations on starting your career on such a high note. You're gonna be working with some of the brightest young stars in the industry: Robb Stark, Jon Snow, they just cast Margaery Tyrell as the female lead. You two'll be working together a lot, judging from the script."

"Margaery Tyrell? I  _love_  her!" Jeyne gushed. Then she blushed again. "Oh, sorry. How am I suppose to talk to famous people?"

"Like you're talking to me." Mrs. Stokeworth encouraged, "Trust me, there's nothing that'll win a celebrity over faster than treating them like they're a normal person."

Jeyne nodded, though she still felt a little unsure. What if she made a huge dork of herself the first time she met her co-stars? Holy crap, Margaery Tyrell was going to be her co-star, along with Robb Stark and Jon Snow and gods know who else.

"About the salary," Mrs. Stokeworth continued, "You're fine with 25,000 dragons? It'll be paid out to you over the course of six months"

"Is that a lot, relatively speaking?" It was certainly more than she made in a year at her uncle's restaurant.

"It's a bit below average for a this kind of role considering your lack of experience, but if the movie does well and you keep getting good roles, other contracts will start with more. Do you want to push for more right now?"

"No, 25,000 dragons is plenty."

Mrs. Stokeworth shook her head fondly, "Alright kid; you're the one working for it. There's nothing left to do but sign." She printed out the last page of the contract and gave Jeyne a pen. When he signature was one the dotted line, Mrs. Stokeworth faxed it to KSK and said, "There you go. You're in."

"So, what do I have to do now?" Jeyne asked.

"The marketing team'll make the official announcement, take some pictures of you for the press, maybe set up an interview. You'll go to King's Landing for the filming prep and indoor scenes, then go to Crackclaw Point to film the outdoor scenes."

"This all sounds so amazing." Jeyne breathed.

"Well you are one lucky girl, Jeyne."

* * *

"We're gonna miss you so much Jeyne." Gawen hugged his daughter until all the air had left her lungs.

"I'm gonna miss you too Daddy." Jeyne rasped, trying her best not to cry. She wouldn't see them again for a whole year.

Eleyne wiped her tears with the back of her hand, "Promise me you'll get me Jon Snow's autograph?"

"Promise. Rolly, you'll be good for Daddy and Elly, won't you?"

He nodded, his lower lip trembling. "I don't you to leave Jeyne. Raynald left, then Mother."

"Oh, sweetling, I'm coming back. I promise, I'm coming back." Jeyne soothed, "Okay, don't worry. It'll just be a year. And I'll call on the phone whenever I can. Okay?"

Her little brother nodded and wrapped his skinny arms around her waist.

"I love you." Jeyne kissed his forehead.

"I love you too." Rollam croaked.

With one last look to her family, Jeyne picked up her luggage and walked through the terminal. Her flight to King's Landing took four hours, landing in King's Landing International Airport at a quarter past midnight, Eastern Standard Time. A tall man with roughened features in a suit held up a sign with her name.

'Very official.' Jeyne thought as she approached the man. "Hi, I'm Jeyne Westerling. The girl who's going to be in the movie?" Did she always sound like such a dork?

"Bronn Blackwater, Mr. Lannister's assistant. This way Ms. Westerling." He led her to a car in the airport parking lot, then left her alone in the backseat. Through the window, he said, "He'll take you straight to the hotel. Goodnight Ms. Westerling, and welcome aboard."

The car took her straight to the Gold Tower Hotel, a place that looked far above anything her family could ever hope to afford. Jeyne felt incredibly out of place in this fancy hotel wearing her beat-up sneakers, t-shirt and cutoffs. Mouth dry, she walked up to the front desk to check in. The receptionist didn't seem to mind her plain appearance and gave her the room key with a costumer-service smile.

The studio put her in 1309, a spacious single with a small balcony overlooking the southeastern side of the city. The Red Keep, where the Westerosi government met, shone against the black sky. King's Landing had been built many centuries ago, and the old city walls still stood strong. Everything inside the wall was consider the historical section. The Gold Tower had been just outside the wall, next to a gate in the ancient walls that the surrounding neighborhood had been named after.

Just as Jeyne stripped down to shower, a knock came at her door. She slipped on a fluffy bathrobe before answering. "Hello?"

A short, fairly attractive woman in her late twenties stood at the door. "Hello, you must be Jeyne. I'm Shae Campe, the assistant director. My job is basically to make sure everything's running smoothly."

"Nice to meet you Ms. Campe." Jeyne replied.

"Please, just call me Shae. So, the front desk just let me know you checked in. I can see you're a bit busy, so I'll just hand you your schedule for the next few weeks." Shae pulled out a few stapled sheets of paper. "You can order room service, but there's also a ton of restaurants where the other cast and crew eat, if you want to get to know everyone better."

"That sounds lovely." Jeyne said accepting the papers.

Shae smiled, "Excellent. Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight," Jeyne called as she closed the door. She returned to the bathroom for a quick shower. Once she changed into pajamas and got into bed, she glanced over the schedule. She had nothing to do until the day after tomorrow, so Jeyne figured she'd go sightseeing. She turned off the lights and went to sleep.

The next morning she woke up at around eight, got dressed and went downstairs for breakfast. The Gold Tower did have several nice restaurants, including a large breakfast nook. Jeyne seated herself at the coffee bar and ordered a mocha espresso and waffles. As she poured syrup on her waffles, a young man in a tight, white Henley and jeans sat next to her.

"Hey." he smiled at her.

"Hi, I'm Jeyne." She replied before taking a bite of her waffles.

"Robb. Nice to meet you."

Jeyne almost choked on her breakfast. Now she recognized him: the auburn curls, the large blue eyes, the high cheekbones. He was even hotter in person. "I-oh my god. No, wait I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it." he chuckled, "So you recognized me."

She nodded, not trusting her voice. Instead, she took a sip of her coffee. How was she suppose to eat with Robb Stark sitting  _right there_?

Robb ordered an omelet and plain black coffee. "If you don't mind me asking, what're you here for?"

"I'm playing Petunia." Jeyne replied quietly. She kept eating, trying not to look as nervous as she felt. Mrs. Stokeworth said that actors liked to be treated as normal people, so she continued on as though he were another cute boy flirting with her at a restaurant. Flirting? No, he wasn't flirting with her; he was just being nice.

His smile widened, making Jeyne's heart beat faster. "Really? Well its nice to know you won't be leave too soon."

Just as Jeyne felt she was about to faint, another guy walked up to them. He had dark hair and looked rather serious look -  _Jon Snow_. As in, Robb's adopted brother and fellow superstar? 'Calm down girl.' Jeyne told herself. 'You're gonna have to work with these two for the next year. You should at least be able to have breakfast with them.'

"Hey Robb. Who's your friend?" Jon sat on the stool next to Robb. Did he just call her Robb Stark's friend? Was it too early in the morning to have a heart attack?

"That's our new Petunia." Robb replied.

"Jeyne Westerling." Was all she said. She didn't trust herself not to start giggling from both excitement and nervousness.

"I didn't know Petunia had been cast." Jon Snow said.

When they both looked to her, Jeyne explained. "I-it hasn't been announced yet."

"Hey guys." Shae, life-saver that she was, appeared out of nowhere holding a heavy-looking clip board. "Good to see you've already met Jeyne." The three of them said hello to Shae. "So, we've got some good news. Margaery's plane landed earlier than expected this morning, so the first photo-shoot is being moved up to noon today. Does that work out alright for you guys?"

"Yeah, totally." Jeyne replied. Robb and Jon nodded in agreement.

"After we get the photos done, we're going to announce the rest of the six maidens: Leslyn Fawnet, Helly Ennet, Cass Potts and Jyzene Towers. Oh, and Piper and Blackwood will be there too. Meet outside the hotel 11:00 so you can all leave together."

Jeyne didn't recognize any of those names. Maybe they were young hopefuls like herself. Shae politely said goodbye and went off to...do whatever it is an assistant director did.

"Have you ever been to King's Landing before?" Robb asked.

It took Jeyne a few seconds to realize he had spoken to her. "Um, no. I've never left Lannisport before."

"Well, we should show you around some time." Jon offered.

Jeyne grinned, "That would be great."

Ten minutes later the trio finished eating and took a stroll around the neighborhood, Old Gate. Old Gate boasted high-end restaurants and boutiques, but Jeyne and the boys didn't go in any of them. When the time came, they walked back to the Gold Tower to find two large SUVs waiting for them. Five other young women were standing around talking, one of whom Jeyne recognized instantly.

"So you must be our sixth maiden." Margaery superstar-since-she-was-twelve-years-old Tyrell walked up to Jeyne and hugged her. "I'm Margaery Tyrell, but you can just call me Margie."

"I, um, I'm Jeyne. Its so, really nice to meet you." Jeyne stammered. Margaery (she just couldn't call her "Margie" in her head) introduced the four other girls: Leslyn, the lanky blonde playing Rose; the short, stout Helly, who had black, wavy hair and amber eyes, would be playing Lily; Cass, a tiny redhead whose pale skin was covered in a thick cloud of freckles, played Daisy; and finally, dark, curvy Jyzene would play Violet.

Two older gentlemen joined them a few minutes later, Clement Piper, a heavyset, balding redhead, and the slightly younger Tytos Blackwood. Jeyne remembered her father talking about some of their movies, but she herself wasn't a huge fan. Still, it was pretty cool to be working with such experienced actors.

Margaery took Jeyne's hand, "Hope you don't mind us stealing her away." she winked at Robb and Jon before pulling Jeyne into one of the SUVs with Cass, Helly and Jyzene. The others went into the other SUV.

"So Jeyne, what have you been in?" Cass asked in a thick Braavosi accent.

"You mean, like, other movies? This is the first acting gig I've ever had." Jeyne admitted.

Jyzene raised a perfectly-sculpted eyebrow. Her thickly-applied make-up reminded Jeyne of Lessa, and a sudden burst of homesickness hit her.

"You must be pretty talented to land a secondary role on your first try." Margaery remarked. "It took me three years to land my first big gig."

"But you were  _Maidenvault_  when you were twelve."

"Don't tell me people still remember that train-wreak." Margaery shuttered.

"It was my favorite movie growing up." Jeyne blushed.

Shaking her head, Margaery laughed, "Always nice to meet a fan."

They made small talk for the next forty-five minutes. King's Landing traffic was even worse than Lannisport traffic, apparently. The actors reached the photography studio just on time. Wardrobe and make-up artists swarmed them, getting them in semi-formal wear and brushing out their flaws.

"This is just the first round of promotional shots, so people knew who we are." Margaery explained. "Our costumes still aren't ready yet, but once they are, we'll practically be living in them."

An hour later, Jeyne wore a new coat of make-up and a magenta dress, her long dark brown hair braided over her shoulder. She posed for head shots for about twenty minutes, then did a few group shots with the other girls.

"Lovely," the photographer praised, "The public's just gonna eat you up."

Afterwards, Jeyne watched Margaery and Robb pose together. They weren't quite in character, but there was a little flirtation in their body language. It was kind of strange to watch.

"By the end of the week," Margaery said looping her arm around Jeyne's as they walked out of the studio, "you'll officially be famous."

While they all got back to the hotel, Jeyne got a call from Lessa. "Mind if I take this?" Jeyne asked Margaery as they climbed out of the SUV. Margaery nodded.

"Hey, how's the college tour treating you?" she answered jovially.

"The what? Oh, that. Listen, Jeyne, have you gone online today?" Lessa said in a rush. "I could have swore there was a picture of you with Margaery Tyrell on twitter."

"What?" Jeyne gasped. The paparazzi worked fast.

"'Margaery Tyrell arm-in-arm with mystery girl.'" Lessa quoted. "Can you imagine?"

"Oh my gods." Jeyne looked over to her co-stars, who seemed to waiting for her, "Just, don't spread it around okay."

"Honey, it won't need me to spread." Lessa laughed, "You're gonna be famous pretty soon."

"Or not. Look, I gotta go. Call me later?"

"Sure thing. Bye Jeyne."

"Bye Lessa. Talk to you later." She hung up.

"Everything okay?" Robb appeared behind her.

"Yeah," Jeyne shrugged, trying to look nonchalant. "Just some personal stuff back home."

"Cool. Do you want to go out again, or maybe take a break?"

Jeyne stammered, "Actually, I have to go back to room." She gave them each a quick goodbye, and scurried off to her hotel room. When she had safely retreated to her temporary bed, Jeyne berated herself for being such a loser in front of a bunch of celebrities.

She picked up her cellphone and dialed home.

"Hello?" Rolly's voice came over the line sounding tired.

"Hey little guy, its Jeyne."

"Jeyne! How are you?"

"I'm great." She lied, "Did I catch you at a bad time?"

"No, its fine. Its morning here. Do you want to talk to Daddy?"

"Actually, I just called to check in. I'm pretty busy over here. Send Daddy and Eleyne my love, okay."

"Oh. Okay. Bye Jeyne."

"Goodbye sweetling." Jeyne hung up and lay back down on her bed.

* * *

"'Do you want to go out again, or maybe take a break?' Seriously? I'm such a loser." Robb ran a hand through his hair. "You'd think all those public speaking classes would teach me how to talk to a girl."

Jon shrugged, "Stop beating yourself up, dude." He sat on Robb's bed, a laptop in his lap.

"How can I? I sounded like such an idiot."

"Okay, you remember the first thing I said to Ygritte? 'Your hair looks lucky.' Trust me, you're not the first guy to embarrass yourself in front of a girl."

"You and Ygritte broke up months ago." Robb pointed out.

"Yeah, but we dated."

Robb shook his head, "Whatever. I need to calm down." He pulled out a beer from the mini-fridge and took a large gulp.

"She got that you that messed up, huh?"

"I don't want to talk about Jeyne anymore." Robb insisted. "Change the subject."

"Wow they already know about her." Jon said to himself.

"Who?"

"The press. They snagged a picture of Jeyne leaving the studio."

Robb let out a deep sigh, "You know what forget it. I'm being ridiculous."

"Even a broken clock is right twice a day." Jon grinned.

"Shut up." Robb laughed. "Do you think she'd go out with me.?"

"I think you she'd had a heart attack if you asked." Jon replied.

Robb took another sip of his beer, "Because I'm famous?"

"Dude, she's totally star-struck; not just with you, but with all of us." Jon looked up at his friend, "Everything in her life's changing so fast. Getting into a relationship with you probably isn't the best thing for her right now. And who knows, she might already be in a relationship with someone back home. You know don't anything about her."

"You've got a point." Robb sighed. "Guess I'm just gonna have to let it go."

* * *

The first round of promotional pictures were up by the end of the week. Jeyne was practicing her Riverlands accent with a speech coach when she got a text from Margaery.

Margie T: u look amazng on camera! [heart eyes emoji] (10:31 a.m.)

By noon, journalists published about a dozen articles about the upcoming movie, and a few of them asked the same question: "Who the heck was Jeyne Westerling?" It wasn't that anyone expected Petunia to be an major character - after all, now one knew the plot - but it must have irked them that she'd flown completely under their radar. So people knew who she was now, but hers was far from being a household name.

Mrs. Stokeworth sent her an e-mail with her congratulations, to which Jeyne replied with gratitude. She also called her family, and Eleyna's ecstatic cry nearly deafened her. "I can't wait for school to start again so I can tell everyone my big sister's a movie star." A few days after the photos were released, while she and Margaery were having lunch out in town, she spied a reporter taking pictures of them from behind a bush.

"Don't worry, we'll have a little more privacy at Crackclaw Point." Margaery had said in between bites of her sandwich. "It always gets more intense around premier time."

"Its just a bit strange that people are interested in me."

Margaery shrugged, "You just get used it. Anyway, are you up for our first script reading tomorrow?"

"I guess. My accent still the best."

"Remember that horrible Volantene accent I had to do for  _The Long Bridge_?" Margaery giggled.

"Your accent was great!" Jeyne replied, "I should know. My mom's family is from Volantis and my uncle's restaurant is full of old people who refuse to eat anything that doesn't have beets in it."

"They eat a lot of beets in Volantis?"

Jeyne rolled her eyes, "Too many, in fact. And lots of spices. In fact my mother's maiden name is Spicer."Jeyne froze for a second at the mention of her mother. She hadn't thought of her in days. "Well, I assume. I've been there, but my grandmother used to tell us stories about it all the time. Personally I can't stand the stuff."

"The stories?"

"The beets." Jeyne corrected, "Nana's stories were the best. She used to claim that her mother was a witch who could tell fortunes and cast spells on people."

"Sounds cool." Margaery nodded. "Did you inherit any special magic powers from dear old Granny?"

"I wish." Taking a sip at her bottle of water, Jeyne continued, "I wish I could have met her, but she died just before I was born."

"Too bad. Does your mom talk about her?"

"Not really. She's not a very sentimental person."

"That sucks." Margaery shrugged, oblivious to effect this conversation had had on her new friend.


	3. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait; I was suppose to update this a few days ago but I forgot.

"Hi." Jeyne waved as she walked into the meeting room to find only a few people inside. Tyrion Lannister, the director, sat at the head of a long table. Though short and ugly, he had a lot of cleverness and a wicked sense of humor.

"Good to see you made it on time." Mr. Lannister grinned. "Perhaps your co-stars should start sleeping on rocks."

Jeyne paused for a minute until she realized he was referring to Casterly Rock, the noisiest city west of the Trident. She giggled as she took her seat. A small name bar rested in front of her, displaying both her name and her character's name, Petunia.

Margaery, Robb, and Jon came in together, laughing probably at some joke one of the told in hall. It made Jeyne feel a little out of place to see them having fun without her, but she smiled anyway and greeted them. A little later on, the other actors trickled in one by one and the reading started.

The film began with Margaery, speaking as Jonquil form the future, narrating her character's backstory and talking about her friendship with the other maidens. It then moved to a scene with Florian and his dying father, to Septon Garon (played by Piper) having an argument with Lord Mooren (played by Blackwood). Then came Jeyne's turn, dialogue with the other girls about true love and true knights. Her accent had steadily improved, but it was unlikely to fool a native Riverlander. After four hours of reading through the script, critiquing their own and each other's performances, and messing around with possible improvisations, the read-through finished on a high note.

"Let commemorate it with a group picture." Margaery suggested. The whole cast swept behind Mr. Lannister's chair and posed. Jeyne was squished between Jon and Jyzene, but she couldn't help but grin widely. Shae and some crew members took pictures on their cell phones.

"I'm uploading this to instagram." Shae declared proudly.

* * *

Jeyne did her best not to wince and squirm as the costume designer put the finishing touches on her dress for the climax. The last few weeks had Jeyne sprinting back and forth between her costume fittings, out-of-costume rehearsals, light tests, sound tests, meetings with the director and producer, in-costume photo-shoots, public appearances and interviews. All this work and she hadn't yet done a single scene.

Pia Butterworth, the head costume designer, fixed the final accessories into place. "There, you look marvelous, if I say so myself." Petunia's final outfit had been one of the hardest pieces because it had to look equal parts sinister and tragic. "You have just the right face for this role. You look so innocent, like the babysitter people gladly leave their children with. Your job is to make them feel sorry for you, but also feel uncomfortable that they feel sorry for you."

"Wow Pia, this is amazing." Jeyne smiled.

"Now we just have to get you photographed for Mr. Lannister's final approval. Then we'll have copies made and dressed down for the fight scenes."

Jeyne nodded and followed Pia out of the dressing. Then Pia left her along to take of the other actors. The photographer examined every nook and cranny, from her shoes to her hair, all 360 degrees. By the time she was finished, Pia had returned to take her back to her dressing room.

"Alright, let's get you out of that thing." Pia smiled. Her assistants carefully shimmed Jeyne out the voluminous magenta fabric, metal wiring, and countless little trinkets. Afterwards, the make-up artist cleaned off her costume look and brushed on average, everyday make-up and undid her hair. She changed back into the new bright yellow sundress Leslyn had insisted on getting her.

On the way out, she passed Jon coming out of his dressing room wearing a costume purposefully weathered down to look torn and dirty. It must have been for one of the fight scenes.

"Jeyne, you're done?" Jon stated.

She nodded, "I was just heading out. I guess I'll see you at the hotel."

"Sure. Have a nice day." Jon chirped. "Actually, wait." Jeyne paused. "There's a party down by the Hook tonight. Do you want to come? As friends, of course."

"Yeah, that sounds great." Jeyne smiled a bit nervously. "What time?"

"Party starts at eleven."

Jeyne flinched. Most parties she attended  _ended_  at eleven. "Oh."

"Its fine if you don't want to come."

"Yeah, I've just got…stuff."

Jon shrugged, "I totally get it. See you later."

"Bye." Jeyne said lamely. She was eighteen, working, and alone in the big city with celebrities wanting to hang out with her. Why had she turned down Jon's offer? Going to late-night parties was what normal teenagers did, wasn't it?

As Jeyne exited the building, she ran into a tall, stunning redhead.

"My bad." The girl said, "I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Don't worry. I was distracted too."

"You know where I might find Robb Stark and Jon Snow? They're my brothers."

"Your…oh, you must be Sansa. I'm Jeyne. Yeah, I'm pretty sure they're right down there" She pointed down the corridor, "on your left."

Sansa Stark shook her hand, "Thanks. And it's a pleasure to meet you Jeyne."

"The pleasure's all mine."

Sansa flashed her a smile full of bright, white teeth, waved, and made her way down the corridor. Jeyne bit her lip watching her walk on in her emerald-green silk blouse and slim black slacks. Sansa Stark moved like a supermodel, confidant and graceful, her long copper braid swaying with each step. And Jeyne felt crushingly ordinary in comparison.

That evening, after calling to check in on her family (apparently Uncle Rolph really missed her; who would have thought?), Jeyne decided to take a chance. She slipped into a tiny red dress she'd never had the nerve to put on, applied generous amounts of make-up and flat-ironed out her wavy hair. Her nicest shoes, silver 4-inch heels, pinched like hell, but that was the price of looking good. She was a stunner.

Standing in front of the mirror, Jeyne worked up the courage to step outside the door and onto the boulevard, turning heads as she sashayed to the Hook.

Only...she couldn't. 'You're nothing but a big joke.' Sybell's voice rang in Jeyne's head as she bitterly kicked off her heels and tore off her jewelry. 'You don't even know where the Hook is. Do you seriously think anyone would look twice at you?' The moment had passed, Jeyne the Stunner was gone, and the shy wallflower from the Crag had taken her place. She tried not to cry as she removed her make up.

A knock at the door broke her out of her dark thoughts. Helly stood at the door wearing stripped blue pajamas, a large, half-eaten bowl of popcorn in her hand. "Margie's having a girl's night in her room. Wanna come?"

"Yeah." Jeyne answered without thinking, "Just give me a minute to change."

"Were you going out?" Helly raised an eyebrow at Jeyne's risque red dress.

She blushed, "Not anymore. Its nothing. I'll be there in a minute." Jeyne dashed inside and threw on her favorite white cotton pajamas and bunny slippers.

"Let's go." Helly chirped, practically dragging Jeyne down the hallway to the elevator, the both of them giggling.

Margaery stayed in a luxurious suite on the twenty-third floor, overlooking the above-ground-floor pool. "Finally." she cried as Leslyn let Jeyne and Helly in. "Helly, you ate all the popcorn again!"

"I'll make some more. We've got plenty." Helly waved off her complaint and went to the kitchenette for more snacks.

"Jeyne, over here." Cass waved from the couch. The couch had been pulled over to rest at the foot of the bed. Jeyne flopped onto the couch next to her. "Did you do something to your hair?"

"I though I'd try straightening it out."

"Well don't." Jyzene put in, "I know girls who would kill for your curls."

"Okay," Margaery held up two DVDs, " _Age of Existence_  or  _The Worst of Me_?"

" _The Worst of Me_! Gaerys Ternesio was so hot in it." Leslyn squealed.

Jyzene threw a pillow at her, "No way. You know I hate those cheesy foreign films."

"More than a Mycheal Baye film?" Leslyn countered.

"Both those movies suck." Cass made a face, "Don't you have anything else Margie?"

"Just  _Young Wolf_. Do you think Robb'll mind?" Margaery raised an eyebrow.

Cass shrugged, "He's not here is he? Put it on."

The girl huddled around the flat screen television, watching Robb's first major movie. The protagonist, the heir to frozen wasteland, fought to avenge his father, but suffered betrayal that cost him his life. He'd filmed it when he was just fourteen, though he'd had minor roles in other works beforehand. Around the same time as the movie premier, the Starks had adopted Jon Snow, then a sullen thirteen-year old who'd been shuffled from foster home to foster home. It wasn't long before Jon joined his new brother in stardom. If Sybell and Gawen had let Jeyne audition for television and movie roles when she was younger, would she have become a child star like Robb, Jon and Margaery?

* * *

"Alright everybody, this is what we've all been working towards." Mr. Lannister boomed from his bullhorn. Being only a little taller that Jeyne's little brother, Mr. Lannister stood on a raised platform so everyone could see him. "First take in ten minutes. Let's gets the cameras, lights and sound ready. Actors in position. Quiet on set."

Jeyne rose from her seat; slowly so the make up artist could put the finishing touches on her look. The crew was filming all the movies indoor scenes in a studio in the city, so nothing would be performed in perfect order. The current scene actually took place almost halfway through the film. Robb and Jon weren't working just yet, but they hung around in costume, watching from behind the director's chair.

The particular bit Jeyne and Margaery filmed together only lasted around a two and half minutes, but it took six hours before Mr. Lannister was satisfied. And then the second unit director - the woman responsible for shots from the back and side - declared she hadn't gotten a good shot, adding another two hours to the filming time.

Jeyne was starting to see why this will would take a year to shoot.

She leaned back in the makeup chair as the artist stripped off layers of makeup.

"Not bad for your first day." Mr. Lannister chuckled, walking up to her on his stunted legs.

Jeyne grinned, "Yeah?"

"I'm gonna need you keep that momentum kid, you hear?" Mr. Lannister told her, "I don't mean to scare you, but it doesn't get any easier."

"Right," she nodded, "I get it."

"I'm gonna need you to bring your A-game tomorrow."

"Don't worry. I will."

Mr. Lannister smiled, nodding. "Now that's what I like to hear. Same time tomorrow Jeyne." He said walking off.

* * *

The weeks flew by quickly past Jeyne. Acting demanded more of her time and attention than she had expected. Most of Petunia's scenes were indoors, but her most significant scenes took place outside. Even if she just had to stand in the background watching Margaery work, Jeyne had to remain in character. Viewers and critics had eagle's eyes, after all.

Of course things on set weren't perfect all the time, otherwise blooper reels wouldn't exist. She stuttered, she forgot lines, she let her real accent slip through at times. But it wasn't just her; everyone had issues. Leslyn, she learned, broke every other prop she held. Blackwood had a tenancy to recite his too quickly and end up tongue-tied. Cass sometimes broke character when she was distracted.

The third month into filming, Margaery and Jeyne filmed a scene while walking down a flight of stairs.

"'...hope is fleeing, dear Petunia, and I can _aaaaaah_ -" Margaery cried out as her foot missed a step. Tumbling down another three or four steps, she landed on her knees and elbows on the painted tile. Mr. Lannister called for filming to stop.

Jeyne leaped down to her, "Margie! Are you okay?"

"Sore." Margaery gritted as the stage assistants helped her up. She hissed, "Ankle, ankle. I think I sprained it."

One of the larger assistants lifted her into his arms and sat her down on a prop chair. Jeyne followed to her side.

"We're gonna have cut today short." Mr. Lannister announced waddling up his fallen actress and taking a look at her ankle. Already, it was swollen, red and slight crooked. Margaery bit down on her lip to keep from crying out, "Ugh, that looks pretty bad. Let's get you to a doctor."

As Jeyne got out of costume and makeup, Margaery went away to get her ankle looked out. An hour later, Jeyne and the girls went to visit her.

"Broken." Margaery told them, the painkillers slurring her words as she limped into the parking lot on crutches. A dark green cast rested on her right ankle. "It doesn't need surgery, but I have to stay off it for a few weeks."

"Shae's gonna have an ulcer." Helly whistled. "You know how much she hates deviated from the schedule."

Leslyn shrugged, "If she can't work around a disaster she has no business in the entertainment industry."

"Whatever, just take me home." Margeary whined.

Back at the hotel, Jeyne stayed with Margaery to help her take her painkillers. Magaery also called her older brother Loras to let him know what happened. Robb, thoughtful guy, went out to get her some ice cream, and Jon suggested they sign her cast.

"He's pretty nice." Margaery yawned when they were alone again.

"Robb or Jon?"

"Both of them."

"Yeah, they're good friends." Jeyne agreed.

Margaery propped herself up on her pillows. "What do you like Jeynie?"

"Uh, cheeseburgers, cats, action movies..."

"No," Margaery swatted at her playfully, "I mean, what you  _like_? Guys? Girls?"

"Oh. Guys, definitely."

Margaery bit her lower lip, "So, you've never had a girlfriend? I prefer the fairer sex, to be honest. Promise not to tell anyone?"

"Don't worry. I won't." Jeyne swore.

"It's just so frustrating," Margaery groaned loudly, "My agent says the public will never go with it; well, except other gay people and perverts. My publicist has me on an "innocent good girl" spin, and she doesn't think parents will let their kids watch my shows and movies if they knew I was gay."

"You can't be a innocent good gay girl, I guess." Jeyne snorted.

Margaery laughed, "That was a good one. But yeah, you can't. Remember when I "dated" Renly Baratheon?"

"No; who's he?"

"A fashion designer from the Stormlands. His oldest brother's some kind of politician and the other one is in the military." Margaery explained, "Anyway, we fake-dated for like a month after  _Golden Grove_ 's third season."

"Wait, I remember! He was the dark-haired one with dimples and incredible blue eyes."

Margaery nodded, "Right. He's Loras's high-school sweetheart. We were each other's beards until he and Loras came out. Two nights later, some Seven Sparrows broke into his workshop and vandalized everything. He had to pull out of fashion week because he couldn't get a whole new collection out in time."

"That's horrible." Jeyne gasped.

"Yeah, and both his brothers stopped talking to him." Margaery wrung her hands together anxiously, "Not that the Baratheons really got along before, but at least Renly used to be able to come home for the holidays."

"Does your family know you like girls?"

"Just Loras and Garlan. My oldest brother Willas is old-fashioned; I don't know how he'd take it. And my parents? Yeah, like I'd tell them anything. My grandmother wouldn't care, but she can't keep a secret to save her life."

"I can't imagine what's that like." Jeyne admitted.

Margaery gave her a pained smile, "Yeah, well I can't imagine what's its like to be straight."

They laughed together.


End file.
